Cleaning a Bearing
Why clean a yo-yo bearing? Most bearings come lubricated, as this helps preventing rust whilst the yo-yo is in storage before it is sold. This lubricant often makes yo-yos quite responsive. In order to remove the lubricant the bearing has to be cleaned. Cleaning allows the yo-yoer to to make the bearing as responsive as he or she wants. It also removes grit or string lint that builds up in the bearing through play. How to clean a yo-yo bearing 1. Before you start It is helpful to know some bearing anatomy before you begin so you know which parts of the bearing are which. 2. Equipment needed *Some form of solvent for cleaning (such as methlylated spirits or paint thinner/mineral spirits). Do not use rubbing alcohol (contains water which can make the bearing rust), lighter fluid (contains perfume and other impurities), acetone (can make the bearing rust and is corrosive), nail polish remover (contains impurities to moisturise skin etc) or anything containing ether such as brake cleaner (catches fire easily and damages skin quickly). *A glass jar to hold the solvent with the bearing in. *A pin to remove the bearing shields. 3. Safety precautons *Protective glasses should be worn. *Almost all the solvents listed here are highly flammable so keep the solvents away from sparks, naked flames, etc. *As many of the solvents give off unpleasant fumes, the bearing cleaning should be carried out in a well ventilated room with care taken not to inhale the fumes. 4. Remove the shields. To achieve a clean yo-yo bearing, you first have to remove the shields (the thin rings of sheet metal on the sides of the bearing), one side is usually enough for cleaning purposes, although removing two is recommended to produce the best results. Removing can be done by sticking a pin between the outer race and the shield, where a springy steel ring (known as the 'C clip' due to its shape) is located. By removing the C clip, the shield will tend to fall out. If it doesn't, tapping it lightly on a surface should cause the shield to drop out. Another way to remove the shields is to stick a pin between the inner race and the shield and carefully pry the shield off. Since the C clip can jump out, it is recommended to wear protective glasses while doing it. This method is popular because it is quicker and easier to remove the shields, however the shields are often damaged so they cannot be placed back on the bearing later. As many yo-yoers leave the shields off for easier cleaning in the future, this is not a problem. 5. Clean with a solvent Now soak the bearing in a solvent (alcohol, lighter fluid, or paint thinner). DO NOT USE A bottle cap or other small vessel usually is enough for this process. Be careful not to inhale the solvent fumes, and since solvents are usually highly flammable, do this away from fire or heat sources. Using a toothpick, turn the bearing a little in the bath to get the grease out from everywhere and let it soak for a few minutes, occasionally turning it again. Do not use the toothpick on your teeth afterwards and also dispose of the bottle cap. edit by: Sixtoe --All commonly available alcohol like Isopropyl(rubbing) contains WATER, an oxidizer. This means RUST. ***DO NOT USE*** --Lighter fluid contains PERFUMES and other impurities to slow evaporation. These get deposited in a bearing when the naptha and other solvents evaporate. ***DO NOT USE*** --The preferred solvent is paint thinner a.k.a. mineral spirits. It can be found cheaply and in bulk at any hardware store. It is preferable to other solvents because it evaporates at a slower rate and is mostly free of impurities. --Other common solvents to avoid are Acetone(oxidizing and corrosive) and Fingernail Polish Remover(acetone or ethyl acetate). Fingernail polish remover will contain impurities for softening skin and smelling nice. --Anything containing Ether such as brake cleaner. This is a very volatile solvent than can ignite easily and cause skin damage very quickly. Instead of a bottle cap it has been suggested that little clear polyethylene containers that come with 35mm film or small cases for contact lenses would be better because they can be closed tight and shaken. Take the bearing out of the bath and let it dry, occasionally turning it. This can be accomplished quickly and easily with the use of an air compressor. edit by: Sixtoe Cans of compressed air can be found at office supply stores everywhere. These are great if you dont have access to an air compressor. 6. Lubricate the bearing Running a bearing without lubrication (often abbreviated to 'lube') is referred to as running the bearing 'dry'. This is very noisy, reduces the lifespan of the bearing and the bearing can rust. Yo-yoers used to use 3-in-1 oil if they wanted the yo-yo to be very responsive, and trumpet valve oil if the wanted the yo-yo to be unresponsive. However, trumpet valve oil can damage the plastic in a yo-yo and lube designed specifically for yo-yos is now available from manufacturers such as Yoyojam. There are two types of yo-yo lube available, 'thick' lube for responsive yo-yos and 'thin' lube for unresponsive yo-yos. Examples of thick lube include 'Yoyojam thick lube' and 'Yomega brain lube'. The only available thin lube currently is 'Yoyojam thin lube'. Advanced techniques To get the bearing even cleaner, some people use an ultrasonic cleaner, a little vibrating bath used for cleaning jewelry or glasses. Since these cleaners are usually designed to be used with water, and also because you would need quite a lot of solvent to fill it, you can put the solvent and bearing into a small plastic cup (make sure the plastic can handle the solvent), and stand this into the water in the cleaner. The top of the solvent and the top of the water should be reoughly the same height. On a stainless or ceramic bearing you can use only water with a little bit of detergent instead of a solvent. edit by: Sixtoe Using a solvent in any ultrasonic cleaner is dangerous without proper grounding of the unit. Sparks can ignite solvent fumes. Water and detergents can damage metal surfaces. Use caution and possibly a thorough rinsing with mineral spirits to displace any moisture and detergent left behind. Further reading *Step-by-step guide with photos.